Lance Corporal William Robertson

Lance Corporal William Beaufort Robertson, “C” Coy., 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). He was killed in action on 13th October 1915, aged 22 during the Battle of Loos and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. He had been born in Newcastle and was the son of George Robertson of Bilsdean, Oldhamstocks and Lawson Place, Dunbar, East Lothian. He was a Regular soldier and had served with the 2nd Battalion in India for five years. The Battalion landed in France in October 1914 but he was invalided home in early 1915. Upon recovery he was posted to the 1st Battalion. He fell in the attempt to recapture part of the Hoenzollern Redoubt which had just been taken by the Germans. His Company reached the German trenches but the wire was uncut and there were machine guns on the flanks. Time and time again attempts were made to get through the wire but in vain.  6 Officers and 66 Other Ranks were killed and 4 Officers and 163 Other Ranks were wounded  in these valiant attempts.14 Officers and 536 Other Ranks had gone into action that day. The photo shows shells bursting on the Redoubt.